1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for collecting information, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for collecting updated latest information from an information providing server over a network (such as the Internet).
2. Description of the Related Art
Many service providers on the Internet provide a service that, when particular information is updated to the latest information, automatically delivers the latest information to a client over the Internet in response to a previously-received request from the client (client terminal). Some specific examples are given below.
A client user who wants to receive the above-described service is required to notify the service provider of identification information, such as his or her own mail address or IP address, in advance. Upon receiving this identification information, the service provider stores the information in a personal information database of the service provider as the delivery address. When the information requested by the client is updated, the information providing server references the deliver address information stored in the personal information database to automatically deliver the updated latest information to the client identified by the delivery address information. The information providing server also provides a service that converts the latest information to a data specification desired by a client.
A problem with the conventional information providing service is that, as more and more clients request to receive the service, the number of information transmission addresses increases. This increases the load on the information providing server.